In Secret
by MystilogicalFaerie
Summary: Sun Bohai is an illegitimate child of Sun Shang Xiang living in secret for his entire life. But after so many long years of isolation and only having conversation with his mother on the rarity, when the chance to escape such a lonely, maddening life presents itself in the form of a charming boy, he has a decision to make. Be free and risk his mother's life, or stay hidden forever?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hi there! I started this QUITE some time ago and I meant to publish it earlier but of course, I forgot. x -x WELP.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Dynasty Warriors or its characters except my own.

Hope you enjoy!

Today was the first of Daylight Savings.

The young boy raised his arm to block out the sun as he was trying to look at the sky. It was especially blue today, so that meant it wasn't going to rain. Hopefully. The last time the sky deceived him, he'd been depressed in his room the whole time, just watching the rain pour down like God was angry or had a bunch of extra water he didn't need anymore.

He was currently leaning out of his window, just trying to take in the entire world. It was so beautiful! But he was unable to go outside. Come to think of it, he didn't think he'd ever been outside before in his life. He was born indoors... and had stayed there ever since. He knew why this was, too.

The boy, Sun Bohai had only seen about fifteen winters. And 'seen' was the keyword. All those years he had to stay inside and watch all the other children play out in the snow while he gazed on in longing through his bedroom window.

And all of this was because he was an illegitimate child.

He was not to be seen by all costs, or else his mother would suffer great consequences.

As if on cue, the door to Bohai's room slowly opened and in stepped a woman with short amber hair that came a stop at her jawline. She looked no more than about thirty, give or take. She smiled and came closer, not forgetting to shut the door behind her. "How are you?" she asked, giving her son a warm look as she brushed a strand of amber hair from his face.

"I'm fine, mother," Bohai replied, though that was a lie.

He was miserable inside this room all day long, pretty much 24/7. But no matter what, he knew he could not blame his mother. He understood that she had a time of weakness while her husband was away and was seeking comfort. That was, of course, when he came about. He didn't even know who his father was, but he guessed that she didn't know either.

"Oh, my Bohai," the woman Sun Shang Xiang cooed, gently pressing a hand to his cheek. Bohai knew what was coming next.

"You're so strong and brave; I don't see how you still appear sane, being in this room all your life." She said the same thing nearly every day. It wasn't even like he had a choice in the matter. If he were to be discovered by someone, anyone, his mother would be exiled or worse- beheaded. She was, after all, still married to her husband of eighteen years, Liu Bei. He was such a kind man, Bohai didn't think he would actually kill his wife, though he knew he would be enraged about her giving life to some other man's child when they had been trying for their own heir or heiress for quite a while. The worst to be done would most likely be carried out by Xiang's brother, Sun Quan. He too, would be angry that his sister had slept around when she was already married. It wasn't really the same with concubines or mistresses, like with the men. They could sleep with whoever they liked, but if a woman did it, they would receive punishment for being unfaithful.

It was a long while before Bohai simply just smiled and turned his face away from his mother. He wasn't going to say anything to that- at least not this time. Without a word, he walked back over to his usual place at the window, and stared out at the bright world that he so longed to be in. "I know it's hard," Xiang said from behind him. Soon she was standing next to him, also looking out the window. It hurt her heart to have her only son living in such conditions where he was completely isolated from everyone and everything. It made her feel incredibly guilty, but there was nothing she could do about it. The penalty for being found out would result in not only her misfortune, but also her son's. And she simply could not allow that.

"I just wish..." Bohai began, still gazing out the window. Then he seemed to think better of his comment and did not finish it.

"Bohai?" Shang Xiang asked softly.

"I wish I could have a nice, hot meat bun," he said, turning to look at her with a forced smile.

It was just enough to fool his mother. She only wished to see what she wanted, and she wanted to believe that was a happy smile from her son. But it was really a sad one.

When Xiang had left his room, Bohai turned back to the window. He exhaled heavily through his nose as he stared out to the deserted palace courtyard. Why was the place always so empty at noonday? He wished it wasn't like that. He could bear being alone all his life if he got to watch the soldiers and handmaidens move about. But when there wasn't anyone around... he felt a terrible, smothering loneliness.

He sighed again and was about to turn away from the window when suddenly there was a little commotion and two people stumbled into the courtyard, their hearty laughs filling the almost deafening silence that had been going on.

It was a young boy and a girl, looked to be around the same age.

This wasn't the first time Bohai had seen people around his age, but these had to be the most boisterous he'd seen.  
One wore garments of brilliant shades of orange and red, and the other lustrous colors of deep jade and pure white.

They looked like nobles, but then again, what child of high birth would be so… uncouth?

With eyes wide in curiosity, Bohai stared out the window, watching the people.

The boy who was wearing the green straightened up and hooked his arm around the girl in red's neck, pulling her into a painful looking headlock.  
Just then, a stiff looking woman who also wore green approached the two, her face a mask of clear embarrassment.  
She began scolding the boy and he immediately let the young girl go, but she was grinning just as wide as the boy was. He didn't even mind being scolded.

"Longwei! I expected better from you. You know better than to put girls into headlocks!" the boy's mother scolded.  
Guan Longwei just shrugged, still grinning.

"And Chunhua! You are a _lady_. Act like one please," she snipped.

Chunhua rolled her eyes at Ah-lam's chiding and slouched her back defiantly.

Suddenly there was a sharp and painful slap on her back and Chunhua cried out in surprise. "Stand up _straight!_"  
Guan Longwei sniggered to himself, earning a deadly glare from his friend.  
The three were here running errands, Ah-lam having brought her son and his friend along because they had begged.

"Next time, you two are staying home," Ah-lam huffed, striding on ahead.  
Longwei and Chunhua exchanged a look, then burst out laughing and followed after Ah-lam.

Longwei was behind Chunhua, and he wasn't going to stop, but something told him to. He ceased to walk and slowly turned his head upwards to one of the palace windows. He could've sworn he saw someone there. Frowning, he shook his head and caught up to his friend.

Bohai released the breath he didn't realize he had been holding, and slowly slid down the wall. His hand was clutching at the front of his shirt, his breathing shaky.

He was sure that boy had seen him.

Even if it was just a glimpse, things were certainly ruined now.

Oh, how could he have been so careless!?

He couldn't imagine the things his mother would have to endure if anyone ever discovered him. And if she was to be beheaded for adultery, it would be all his fault and no one else's.

Knees shaking and body trembling, Bohai helped himself to his feet. He couldn't stop the morbid thoughts from running through his mind. Even if there wasn't actually any danger in that boy seeing him, it didn't help him to feel any better.

With this on his mind, he was unable to sleep during the night and the next day he was lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. That was his exact position all throughout the night. He hadn't slept a wink. The sun shone through his window and the light spilled over his face, causing him to shade his eyes. Was it morning already?  
Sun Bohai sat up in his bed, taking a look around his room. Gosh, it looked so bare. Through his guilty thoughts, wonderings of that boy kept swirling around in his mind. How old was he? He wondered what he did for fun. Maybe he played Go with his friend, or maybe Mahjong! Bohai smiled to himself, and got out of bed. That sounded exciting. He'd never played those games with anyone but his mother, and not even often. She'd been coming to see him less and less lately… He sighed, the smile from before slipping away.

He was about to go get dressed-though there was really no point; he could laze around in his night clothes all day if he wanted- when he heard the stamping of horses' hooves thundering throughout the courtyard. It took control of every fiber in his being not to fly to the window to see what was going on now.

His hands balled into fists and he bit his lip, staring longingly at the window. After a minute of contemplation, he approached it, hiding most of his face with the side of the wall.

There was a young man dismounting his well-groomed chestnut Balikun, and a woman being helped from her own steed. When the man turned around, Bohai let out a small, involuntary gasp. It was the same boy from the other day, but somehow he looked… different. He was wearing green garments like before, and they looked even more elegant than his others. But he wasn't smiling at all. His shoulders were stiff and so matched his face. Bohai wondered how such a happy person could also be like this.

Guan Longwei kept his face neutral as he handed the reins of his horse to one of the servants. They were here at the palace of Lord Liu Bei once more; the first time they came it was because his mother wanted to offer her services in hopes of good pay. The only thing they had left was their good name, and all the money was gone. Longwei knew this, but he hadn't really cared until now. Now, when his mother had suddenly gotten the bright idea to offer up _his_ services too! He didn't know what he was going to be forced to do. Be some lowly drudge in the kitchen? He did not harbor any ill feelings against those people, but he knew he didn't want to end up like them. He had been enjoying his carefree life, hanging out with Chunhua all the time and spending the rest of the day in study.

But no, his mother had told him. It was time to stop being a child and grow up; get used to having responsibilities.

"Stand up straighter!" Ah-lam whispered in an urgent tone.

Guan Longwei stiffened even more than he already was before, hating how uncomfortable he felt.

God, how he despised this.

"Now, I know you're only used to being a child, but Longwei I have to tell you, those days of fun are over," Ah-Lam said as she and her son began walking toward the palace interior escorted by the guards that had approached them.

Guan Longwei couldn't stop his eyes from orbiting as he struggled to maintain his uptight posture while walking.

"Yes, for the absolute one hundredth time mother, I _know."_

Even though his tone was less than satisfactory, Ah-Lam smiled at the fact that her son knew well what he had to do.

Though his thoughts were on other unpleasing matters, Longwei's eyes traveled to that same window it had before. There was no one in it.. This time.

He knew that all the servants slept on the lower floors of the palace with the royalty on a higher floor, so it was even more perplexing to have seen someone up there. The first thought he had was that there was just a servant up there cleaning that room.

"Mother," Longwei began.

Ah-Lam tilted her head to the side a bit to show that she was listening.

"I overheard someone talking once about how everyone is banned from the uppermost floor of the palace. Why is that?"

Ah-Lam clucked her tongue and instinctively, her eyes went up to that floor as they passed by it.

"About some... Oh, fifteen years ago Lady Sun Shang Xiang issued an order and ban for everyone to stay away from that floor of the palace. Apparently she'd told Lord Liu Bei that it was a special place of memories for her when they first got married and simply didn't want anyone there."

Guan Longwei's brow furrowed in suspicion at that story.

He knew that Shu's ruler loved his wife a great deal, so he guessed it must not have been a problem for him to easily believe her. But maybe even eighteen years after their marriage, the place was still special to Lady Xiang. But for a different reason.

Guan Longwei exhaled loudly with the weight of his heavy thoughts on him. As he and his mother waited for their arrival to be announced the the Lord Liu Bei and Lady Shang Xiang, he made a mental map in his mind of how to get to that floor based on the height of the window.

As soon as this was done, he would do a little exploring.

* * *

**Author's Note 2:** Well? If you liked it, it would literally make my whole week if you reviewed. Everything including criticisms but excluding flaming or hating for any reason you could come up with would be very appreciated too. I first got the idea for this when I was randomly lying in my bed one night at about 4 a.m. and I had a very strong urge to do it. Sun Shang Xiang was my first favorite character when I played Dynasty Warriors 3 about... nine or eight years ago. I still love her (more so her ACTUAL tomboy look) so I really wanted to write this. I thought it'd be fun and well... it was! That's all; until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Sorry I am just now posting this new chapter. I have been very busy lately and am currently still dealing with some heavy stuff. It's already been a whole month since my first chapter! I am ashamed. ;-; Anyways, I definitely want to continue with this story, and I wanna thank IscreamIcecream for favoriting and following this story! It's my first ever, so I was ecstatic to see it. Also thank you to Windninja1000 for following In Secret, because you've also given me motivation to continue on.

**Disclaimer: **Unnecessary, but I do not own Dynasty Warriors or anything in it except for my OCs.

* * *

Nothing.

Guan Longwei closed the door that led to another empty room.

Sighing, he shook his head, feeling quite disappointed. That was probably about the seventeenth room he'd went in only to find it empty.

This hadn't been going the way he wanted and expected it to. He just knew there was something up here for him to find, even if he would be in so much trouble if anyone ever found him. But then again, who would really be taking a stroll on a forbidden floor of the palace?

Well, he still had many places to check.

XxXxXx

"If you get hungry, the meat buns will be here."

Sun Shang Xiang gently set the basket of steaming hot meat buns on the nightstand next to her son's bed.  
She'd come up there to give him his lunch, but he told her he wasn't hungry and refused to eat.

The woman felt weary and unbearably guilty every single time she came up to this little, bare room. It had become too much, so she only visited him every now and then, usually leaving enough food to last him a few days and now more than often, even a week or so.

Looking at Bohai now, with his yearning expression as he silently stared out the window, it was enough to make her want to cry, so she hurried from the room and made her way back to her husband.

As soon as his mother had left his room, Bohai turned his head only to glare at the basket of food for a few seconds before turning back to the window.

A few seconds of pure silence passed before Bohai suddenly stood up from his chair and stormed over to the door. He stared at it for what seemed like an eternity with an unbearably angry scowl on his face.

Why should he be condemned to the room for his mother's mistakes?

He was thinking about it the whole time she was there, and only barely managed to keep his face blank despite the whirlwind of thoughts raging on inside of his mind.

It was getting to be too much.

Fifteen and a half years later, and it was finally getting to be too much.  
Why should he have to be her little secret? Why should he have to live a life without ever knowing the joys of friendship? Why should he never get to feel the sun on his whole body, why should he, why should he, why should he!

"Why..."

Bohai muttered, staring down the door like he could simply melt it away with his fiery gaze.

His hands clenched into tight fists and his lip trembled slightly.

"Why should I have to suffer!" he exclaimed, in that same moment putting his hand on the door, expecting to be met with the resistance of it being locked.

But it slid right open.

There was nothing but an empty, dark hall in front of him.

It seemed about a minute had passed before Bohai finally closed his mouth, his anger gone and replaced with shock and confusion.

Sun Shang Xiang must have left it unlocked in her hurry to escape from the dark and depressing aura surrounding her son.

Either way, there it was. The freedom Sun Bohai had always longed for. Always, always, always...

He took one step.

Then another, then two more, then another.

He was out in the hall, but even that was better than the room that he had been confined to his entire life.

He didn't know if he was imagining it or not, but he could swear he smelled the aromas drifting up from the kitchen. He figured there wouldn't be a kitchen so close up to his room, but he was certainly smelling something very delicious.

Sun Bohai could almost feel the sun on his skin already.

But...

He glanced back at his room, the door left wide open.  
What about his mother?  
If he were to be spotted by someone, anyone, he'd surely be found out. There was no doubt about it, he had a hand mirror in his room and he knew he looked exactly like his mother, save for her peachy skin. Bohai was more of a fair complexion than she. But he still bore her hair, the color of a smoldering fire, and her pale jade eyes as well. He had her nose, and her small lips.

Yes, there was no mistaking him for anyone else other than the son of the Lady Sun Shang Xiang; even if she and Liu Bei had no current heir or heiress, surely some sharp minded person would figure it out.

He couldn't leave.

Now his breaths were coming in short and shallow, his gaze going back and forth from his ajar door to the long hallway before him.

It wasn't fair that his mother had forced such a life on him. She had options. She could've had him taken away to some far away land where no one knew about them after he was born, or she could even have killed him.

He knew his mother was too softhearted to do the latter, but most days he wished she _had _just killed him.

Death would have a much more welcome fate than the one he was chained to.

And now, with the possibility of freedom right before him, he couldn't just charge ahead like he so desperately wanted to.

He was held back by both fear and loyalty to his mother.

Even so, he was sure no one came around there. There was a ban forbidding anyone from exploring the uppermost floors of the palace, wasn't there?  
A few more, just a few more steps wouldn't hurt anyone.

Before he realized it, Bohai had completely walked down the hall and even turned a few corners. He was forcing the thoughts of danger and fear to the very back of his mind, determined to not let it stop him.

He wanted this, and he wanted it badly.

It was okay, wasn't it? Just this much was okay?

Besides, it wasn't like he would be seen by anyone anyways, at least not unless he went out into the open..

XxXxXxXx

"I've never been more pissed just looking at an empty room," Guan Longwei growled, shutting yet another room of disappointment.

He knew someone was up here, he just _knew _it.  
Whether they be a restless spirit or other, he wanted to know. It was way better than waiting patiently for his mother to finish volunteering him for every hard job in the palace anyways.

"I know you're hiding here somewhere..."  
Longwei turned another corner, whistling to himself to keep a cool and level head.

He'd searched every room on the first two floors. Now, there was just one more floor to search, and the dusty looking case of stairs that led to it were just before him.

"Aha! Whoever it was- or whatever it was- I saw has to be up here!" he exclaimed to himself, not wasting any time in charging up the steps.

The staircase spiraled a bit, and every twenty steps or so there was a hanging candle on the wall, still lit but just barely hanging on.

Once he got to the top and saw that the first room he checked was indeed empty, Longwei let out a loud cry of frustration at his incredibly fruitless searches.

Well, even so he couldn't give up now.

XxXxXx

Sun Bohai had already given up trying to find the way out into the open courtyard and decided to just enjoy the time he had out of his room.

After all, this was only the beginning. Who knew how many times his mother had left his door unbarred? It could've happened often, and he'd never known. He'd never even thought to check. All that time he'd been the perfectly behaved son, keeping his loyalty to his mother and also keeping his emotions in check so he didn't upset her.

Now however, he felt like he didn't care as much anymore. It was a surprise to him when he suddenly realized it.

For the first time ever, he actually felt happy, even as he was just walking the halls in a daze, trailing his fingertips along the cold walls as he went.

He felt the stretch of a smile on his face growing wider and wider by the second.

The abrupt sound of something falling over and clattering against the hard floors snapped Bohai out of his daze and instilled instant fear in him.

What if someone was there? He suspected that objects didn't just topple over on their own. Then again, it could be a rat scurrying around. That thought eased his mind a bit, but the prospect of being found out still rested fresh in his heart.

"I'd better go back..." he whispered to himself with regret, keeping his voice low just in case it was not simply a rat.

XxXxXxXx

"Owww.." Guan Longwei whined, clutching his knee tightly. "Stupid pole!"

Just his luck, he thought. Tripping over a random rusty old pole when he was trying to be quiet. If there was a spirit or a person up there, he didn't want to scare them away. Especially not after all the work he had done up to this point.

Longwei finally stood up, brushing off the pain and beginning again with his search. So far he'd checked in four empty rooms and three open areas, still coming up with nothing on that floor. He suspected there were only a few more places to check.

"Okay so I went that way, that way... Over there and that one too... That only leaves straight ahead."

Yes, there couldn't be much more to check.

Guan Longwei traveled up the last few steps that led to the only place he was sure he hadn't yet checked. At the top before him was a short hallway and a corner on the left of him. Ahead at the end of the hallway he could see a light... Lamplight? No, this light clearly had to be sunlight.

"That's gotta be something," Longwei said to himself in an excited whisper as he made his way to the dim light.

The room it was coming from was small and mostly bare; all it contained were two windows, an old looking bed, a chamber pot, a little table and one wooden chair.

It looked very lived in.

"I knew it."

Throwing caution to the wind, Guan Longwei stepped inside the room and took a good look at everything, from the slightly tousled bed covers to the very minuscule windows to the dust covered corners and then to the ajar door.

He was fairly certain spirits didn't have any use for any of the objects in the room; maybe a little shrine and some incense but not a bed and certainly not a chamber pot.

"Well, well, well," he said with a whistle as he plopped down on the bed, noting the oddly sweet scent that came from it.

"What are you doing here?"  
Guan Longwei stood up abruptly with the surprise of suddenly hearing someone else's voice and whirled around to face them.

Before him in the doorway stood a boy that looked around his age with deep ruby red hair, pale jade eyes and flushed cheeks.

He was breathing heavily- obviously trying to conceal the fact that he was out of breath- with a frightened look on his face.

"I'm... I, uh..." Guan Longwei stammered, averting his eyes from the boy. Now that he had finally found who he'd been looking for, he was at a loss for words.  
Mostly due to the fact that the boy resembled someone... It was right on the tip of his brain; who could it be?

"Get out!" Sun Bohai yelled, all the color draining from his face once he realized the impact things would have later.

It was all over now.

Someone had seen him.

Even worse than that, it was the same boy he'd seen out in the courtyard before, and he was in his room!

Not only had he been found out, but someone had come searching for him- or at least something- on the forbidden floors of the palace.

"Are you a restless spirit?" the intruder asked, a sheepish look on his face. "You're not, are you. Then what're you doing way up here all alone?"

Sun Bohai gaped at the boy, his throat and lips dry.

"I.. Yes, I am a spirit! I'm a demon spirit at that, and if you don't leave now, I'll curse you and all your family!" Bohai proclaimed, incapable of thinking of anything else to get him to leave. It was the first, and only thing that had come to his mind.

By the look on the boy's face, he'd hoped the empty threat had worked. Bohai felt quite proud of himself.

"You're lying," Guan Longwei stated, a few chuckles slipping out. "You're a _terrible_ liar, too."

Sun Bohai's face fell and he stammered, searching for something, anything to say. What was he to do now?!

He'd only known this boy for a minute, and already he'd been able to tell he was a horrible liar. How long would it take for him to figure out his secret?  
And then, how long would it take for him to share it with someone, who would in turn tell someone else, who would eventually tell Lord Liu Bei?  
Sun Bohai didn't even want to think about what would come after that, because he already knew very well.

"Just... Just go away, okay? You shouldn't be here," Bohai said quietly, turning his gaze to the floor. His heart was still beating at quite a rapid pace, but he tried not to let it show on his face.

"Alright. But won't you at least tell me your name?" Guan Longwei asked, a small smirk coming to his face as he waited for an answer.

"No."

"I'm Guan Longwei," Longwei said, despite the conversation.

"I-it doesn't matter what your name is or if I know it, because you'll not be coming back here and we'll not be meeting again," Sun Bohai said, in spite of being afraid that everything would go to shit if this boy told anyone about him.

"Okay, okay. Have it your way."  
Relief washed over Sun Bohai as he heard those words. At that moment he didn't care if he had to live out the rest of his life in solitude, as long as things would stay the same, and his mother would stay safe. Or at least that's what one part of him felt. That was the first time Bohai allowed himself to fully look at the other boy, Guan Longwei.

He noted how his short, black, feathery hair fell just a bit above his brows, and how his skin was the color of peaches, to the kind but curious expression he had, and even to the long green garments he wore that came down to his ankles.

He found his breath suddenly caught in his throat.

Guan Longwei took a few steps forward, his eyes locked with those of the other boy's. When the other boy didn't move away, Longwei came a bit closer, careful not to frighten him again. Gingerly, he reached for his hand, taking it in his own and bringing it to his lips.

Sun Bohai flinched, his eyes wide with wonder and also fear.

Guan Longwei kissed the top of the other boy's hand, then let it slowly drop back to his side.

"Until next time, Mr. Spirit."

And then he was gone.

Gone through the open door, down the many steps and outside in the sun once more.

Suddenly feeling a bit weak in the knees, Sun Bohai collapsed to the floor, his hands supporting him.

His face felt like it was on fire. What was this? He didn't know if how he was feeling was normal or not yet.

But that boy... Guan Longwei had kissed his hand, kissed it as a man would do to a woman.

What did that mean?

So wrapped up in his own thoughts, Sun Bohai hadn't even realized what the other boy had said.

_'Until next time.'_

* * *

**A/N: Hey! If this chapter didn't bore you to death , please review! I will be trying to update regularly, so bear with me please. I promise the future chapters will be action-y. U vU **


	3. Chapter 3

III

"You've been looking thinner and thinner."  
The sudden soft voice that wavered with stifled sadness snapped Sun Bohai out of his deep thoughts, causing him to whirl around and face his mother.

She had that same expression he'd seen countless times; regretful jade eyes staring at him, a forced smile upon her quickly aging face, and that stiff but also somewhat defeated posture with which she stood.

Sun Bohai faltered at the sight of his poor mother. He was surprised at how old she'd began to look. She still retained her bright amber hair that would tell one of her young age, but the crows feet about her eyes told otherwise.

"Mother..." Sun Bohai began, his heart clenching so tightly he thought he would throw up as the guilt of what transpired a few days ago threatened to strangle him.

Shang Xiang's forced, tight smile widened a bit as she gestured to the old, stale food on the little wooden table.

A few moments of silence passed before she spoke. "My dearest Bohai," she began, her eyes flashing with something else for a split second as she took a few steps closer to her son.

"I know you are unhappy here.. And I am a terrible mother for letting things be this way. So I was thinking... How would you like some new furniture? To brighten up the place? You have to admit, this room is very drab and depressing..."  
Sun Bohai frowned. His shoulders sagged a bit at the disappointment as his mother rambled on about the room's interior. He was almost so sure she was going to say he could finally leave. Like, 'I don't care what happens to me, I only care about your happiness'. But no, instead she chose to keep him imprisoned forever to save her own skin. For the first time ever, Sun Bohai felt extremely bitter towards his mother, the only person he'd known for fifteen years. At least it was that way until a few days ago.

Feeling his face twist with long suppressed emotion, Sun Bohai took a deep breath and dispersed the ill feelings, remembering that his mother loved him and wanted to keep the both of them safe. He knew this. Even so, why did things have to be that way?

"That's okay," said Bohai as he turned from his mother once more, talking more about his life than the stupid furniture his prison was adorned with. He sighed. He could never actually hate her, no matter how much he felt like he did from time to time. "I'm fine with things this way."

He repeated the lie under his breath and countless times over in his head to force himself to believe it.

Sun Shang Xiang trailed off at her son's words, she herself sighing deeply as she tried to keep the tears in before she turned hurriedly and left the room without another word. She just couldn't win with him, and she hated herself for it. She'd condemned him to such a life and yet she would keep things the way they were for forever to keep them alive.

As soon as his mother was gone, Sun Bohai's eyes went to the door. Had she left it unlocked once more? Was his luck really _that_ good?  
He made his way over and placed his hand upon the lock, somewhat afraid to go out again.

He thought back to Guan Longwei. The mysterious boy hadn't returned like he said he would. 'Until next time,' he'd said.

And ever since then, Sun Bohai had waited expectantly for him to reappear. One part of him didn't want him to; he wanted to keep things the way they were without fear of danger. But the other part of him held a great, smoldering desire to know more about the boy and the outside world from which he came. He thirsted for the knowledge of what was going on outside of his small confinement.  
For a second Sun Bohai wondered if he should just wait for the boy to come back. And even if he did come for him like he said, what if the door was locked and they had no way of seeing each other?

Taking a deep breath, he slid the door open with ease. His eyes widening slightly at the fact that his mother had once more forgotten to lock the door, he stepped out. He supposed that she was becoming very forgetful in her old age.

The dusty smell of the dark hallways were far more welcoming than the stale, stifling air of his room. Even the occasional rat he saw scurrying by was a welcomed companion.

"The little mouse decides to venture out on his own again? How rebellious."

Sun Bohai nearly jumped out of his skin at the deep, youth filled voice that came from just behind him.

He turned to face the voice, surprised but also not to see the boy from a few days ago. In the dim lantern light that were hung upon various walls, Guan Longwei's oval shaped face, thick black eyebrows and strong nose were shadowed and cast in more obscurity than before.

His dark maple eyes questioning with a hint of amusement in them, he stared at the younger boy before him with the somewhat frightened look on his face.

"I'm just going to take a wild stab in the dark," Guan Longwei said with a gesture of his hand. "You're surprised to see me, even though I told you you would see me again."  
Sun Bohai could only nod his head slowly.

After a minute, he found his voice.

"Well... You didn't say when you would come back, and after a few days passed, I sort of assumed..."

Guan Longwei smiled at his sudden bashfulness and waited for him to continue.

Bohai didn't know anything about this boy, with knowing him came the prospects of danger and excitement.

"Why.. Why do you-"

"Shh. I want to show you something."  
Suddenly Guan Longwei reached out and grabbed the surprised boy's wrist, quickly leading him down the flights of stairs.

Sun Bohai struggled to keep up with Longwei, his heart pounding wildly, vibrating the inside of his skull.

"W-wait!" he tried to demand, but his wish was drowned out in the sound of their rushed footsteps as they loudly thundered down the stairs.

Sooner than he had expected, they were out in the open courtyard, the one that no one dared to go out to.

Guan Longwei knew what he was doing, though he wanted it to be a surprise.

Once they'd gotten to the end of the courtyard where the next flight of stairs waited, Guan Longwei turned to his new companion and spoke in a low voice.

"We have to be extremely quiet. Not a sound," he warned, suppressing a laugh at the sight of Sun Bohai's wide, bewildered and frightened emerald eyes.

They began down the steps, only having gotten half way before the light of an approaching lantern showed at the bottom of the steps. With stilled breaths, the two waited as the lantern's light got brighter and brighter, practically touching the bottom of the steps that they needed to descend. The light stopped, waited, and then the heavy footsteps that accompanied the light began to fade away, leaving Sun Bohai and Guan Longwei in darkness once more.

"Let's go!"

Again they set off with silent footsteps, sneaking their way out of the palace interior and out to the fields that was behind it. It held tall grass and dozens of willow trees, sparked with a few peach blossoms every now and then.

As they arrived there, Guan Longwei released Sun Bohai's hand and began pushing throw the tall grass. Bohai kept up, looking about his surroundings in awe and wonder. It was all so beautiful; like nothing he had ever seen before, not even in the few Illustration books his mother had provided him with. At the far left corner of the field was a small fountain, its many rocks and stones giving in a natural look as the crystal water seemingly sparkled under the glowing moon's light.

Lost in the beauty, the younger boy even forgot to ask why he was taken there. All thoughts of his loyalty to his mother, the guilt he'd felt before and the sickening thought of being in danger of being caught flew from his mind as he gazed about the ethereal grove.

"Do you like it?"

Guan Longwei asked from beside him. Sun Bohai hadn't even noticed him approach him.

"Yes!" Sun Bohai replied, breathless.

His eyes were still wide as he made his way farther through the field, coming at a stop next to the pond. He stared at it for a while, then knelt down next to it and tentatively stuck his hand inside, gasping at the ice cold temperature. But he kept his hand in all the same, staring at the warped image of his hand beneath the still water. Everything was new to him; the fresh smell of the grass, the sweet scent of the trees, and the soft glow of the moonlight.

"I, uh.. I found out about this place a little while ago. Once I found it, I knew I had to show you," Longwei said, suddenly feeling a bit bashful as he smiled at the younger boy's innocent reactions to everything.

A smile stretched across Sun Bohai's lips; the first real, genuine smile he'd had in a very long time.

"Thank you," he replied as he stood straight and turned to look at the older boy, his eyes glittering like the moon's reflection in the water.

"Really."

There was a few minutes of silence between them, the only sound being the grass as a soft breeze blew by.

The two boys knew they didn't know anything about each other, but they both felt like they'd known each other for some time now. They had a natural connection neither one of them could quite place the origin of, but it wasn't necessary to ponder it.

In one swift movement, Guan Longwei's hand was outstretched for Sun Bohai to take. "There's one last thing I want to show you."

Without even thinking about it, Sun Bohai took his hand and allowed him to lead him away to the center of the field.

Longwei carefully sat down, Bohai following suit, and once more as the older boy laid on his back.

The stars above them were great in numbers, their bright luminescent light standing out greatly against the dark night sky.

The sight was absolutely breathtaking to Sun Bohai. Never would he have imagined that he would ever get to see the stars in their best form.

"They're best tonight," Guan Longwei explained as he raised an arm and pointed at a certain spot in the sky.

"That's the Turtle Beak right there."

Sun Bohai looked to where he pointed and couldn't help but laugh at the constellation that in fact, did remind him of a turtle's beak.

"There's the hairy head..."  
Guan Longwei said, continuing to point out the constellations that were visible that night as Bohai laughed along at all of the funny named ones.

After there were no more star formations to name, a content silence settled over them once more.

"My name is Sun Bohai."

Guan Longwei smiled, turning his head to look at the younger boy.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Longwei replied, grinning at him.

A light coloring came to Sun Bohai's face as he shyly turned away. His pulse fluttered with unexpected feelings he'd never felt before.

"So... Are you going to tell me why you stay locked up in that room all the time?"

Suddenly a frown came to Sun Bohai's face as the wonderful night was seemingly ruined. He knew it. He knew he couldn't go out with Guan Longwei without him asking that question. It was inevitable, but Bohai had been hoping it wouldn't be.

"No," he replied, slowly pulling the letters from his mouth.

"W-we should go back," he added, abruptly sitting up.

"Wait."  
Guan Longwei's hand wrapped about Sun Bohai's wrist as he prevented him from getting up. "I'm sorry. I won't ask again. But why don't we stay for a little while longer?" Another grinned assumed the position on his face. "I bet you've never seen a real, up close sunrise before."

Sun Bohai faltered a bit, staring back into the dark, alluring eyes of his new companion.

If he stayed out any longer, the risk of his mother coming to his room and finding him missing greater increased. Then he was sure she would never forget to lock the door again. But he didn't want to go back.

At that moment and time, he felt like he never ever wanted to return to isolation.

But what if someone found him out and immediately recognized him? He felt sure that Guan Longwei wouldn't tell anyone; he felt like he could trust him.

A few more seconds of Sun Bohai's battle inside his mind stretched on to a full minute, all the while Guan Longwei stared at him with an amused, puzzled expression.

Finally, Sun Bohai turned to look at Guan Longwei, a small smile on his face. He exhaled loudly.

"Okay."

* * *

A/N: Okay! So I ended up updating more than a month later _again! _But, to my defense, I've been extremely busy actually taking my homework seriously and it seems like there's always SOMETHING popping up for me to do. Also, I've had writer's block on this, so sorry for the short chapter that I literally just wrote today! I did put a lot of effort into it, though, rushed as it may seem. It's kind of hard to write for people when they don't review, because you don't know what they do or don't like about the story so you can't make changes! I see that I have two follows and one favorite though, so that's good. But I see that I get a ton of views every chapter but no reviews. Come on people! How do I know if you all like this story or are merely reading a little bit and then saying it's crap? Review!


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